Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-12-04

could be steadily drawn to a small is
land between the man and Goa
island, from which small island hi
rescue would be easy. Some foot
and glass of brandy were foated OF
the raft, with rope and written in
structions to the man as to what was
tn be done and what he must de-
The raft moved down and reached
the tree trunk in safety.
GAS the man dropped from his
perilous perch upo the raft, dashed
himself to it wi h rope according to
instructions, and then eagerly seized
the brandy and food, such shout as
went up from the thousands of people
who had watched the proceedings
with beating hearts end bated breath
was never heard before. 1t could be
heard above the angry roar OF
Niagara. The raft was slowly pulled
toward the small island. Everything
seemed working to a charm. The
tension on the feelings of the specta-
tors was 80 great that many tainted
away. People were sobbing on every
side. Suddenly the raft stopped.
The cable, drawn as it was, beneath
the water, caught on some obstruc-
ton. All efforts to loosen it were
unavailing. One g-oan of agony arose
from the great crowd. The life-sav-
ers toiled and tugged at the rope, but
still it clung to the obstruction. 1t
was now near sunset.
"The man on the raft had unlashed
h. 80 H. L.
against the possibility of his being
washed off by the current, and Joined
his efforts with the others to loosen
the rope. He was pale, haggard and
Withholding from his hours of sus-
pense. Suddenly he kneeled on the
raft, over which the water was sweep
ing swiftly, and remained there for a
moment, as if in prayer. Then he
sprang into the raging current and
pulled bravely for the island, which
was only few feet away. At first he
gained visibly against the current,
and the thought that he would surely
save himself found utterance in anoth-
Ter joyful shout from the spectators
But when he was almost within reach
of the shore his strength began to
fail. The space between him and the
island gradually widened. Then
every one knew that all hope was
gone. He made a few more desperate
strokes, but the wild waters seized
him, and pitching and tossing and
whirling him, hurried him to the
brink of the great cataract.
"When he reached the edge Of the
falls he was thrown upward from the
water until his whole length came into
view, standing upright, and he disap-
peared as if he had made a voluntary
leap over the precipice. While he
was being dashed to and over the
falls not sound was uttered by one
in that vast crowd of horror stricken
spectators, and terrible as was the
scene, not an eye was turned away
from him as he was carried along to
his destruction. The moment he dis
appeared in the face of the cataract
one hearirending shrek went up from
the crowd, and, the awful fascination
of the scene being broken, the specta-
tors fed from it as if from some fright
full pursuer. The poor victims body
was never found nor his identity ever
established. AS on my previous visit
to the falls the place had no longer
any attraction for me, and the first
train carried me away.
Sin the spring Of 1884, twenty years
after my second visit, l made up my
mind to conquer my aversion to going
again to the place which l could
scarcely think of without a shudder,
and resolved to make another effort to
see the greatest OF American natural
wonders. Although twice on the
ground, had not seen the falls from
below; in fact, could Dot be said to
have seen them at all. l had bust
ness in Buffalo in April, three years
ago, and after getting through with it,
went on to the falls. There was ice
there yet, remember, ond, all things
else being equal. the place was not
particularly cheerful. l made up my
mind to 60 straight to the Goat Island
bridge and brave my feelings by taking
look at the spot where l had
seen that doomed man struggling
for life twenty years bfore.
[ did so, and was greatly
surprised to see the old tree trunk
to which the man chung for SO many
hours still rising out of the boiling
and leaping water. l had not been
there long when / noticed a great
commotion among people on the is
land, and in a few minutes learned
that not only one, but two men had
gone over the falls some time during
the night before, and that the clothing
of one of them had been found, and
evidences that one of the men, who
were brothers-in-law, was murderer
and suicide. He had lured his broth
er-in-law to the island, killed him,
thrown his body into the rapids, and
then jumped in himself and followed
it over the falls. The names of the
parties we're Vedder and Pearson. L
did not wait for more minute details,
but hurried to the Erie Railway sta
ton and caught the first train east
ward.
"Now, as 1 said, l am making my
fourth trip to the Falls, this time an
enforced one. Do you wonder that l
am nervous and a trife superstitious
about going there? l hope there will
be no fatality connected with this
visit, but if you should read about any
one going over Niagara Falls within
the next day or two you may be GER
tain that l am there"
DISCOURAGING FOR HUMORISTS